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The Deckhuis by eXs Architects, one of 29 designs in the affordable housing catalog offered by one loan company. Image: Credit eXs Architects

The Deckhuis by eXs Architects, one of 29 designs in the affordable housing catalog offered to first-time home buyers. Image: Credit eXs Architects

The Dutch city of Nijmegen is collaborating with more than 20 architecture firms to offer its residents the chance to choose from a range of high-quality flat-pack designs for their first home.

[partner id="wireduk"]Architects, town planners and homeowners have long had to balance the cost of a building with the quality of its design. "Affordable" housing has a reputation for being poor quality (see: crumbling 1960s tower blocks) and ugly (see: crumbling 1960s tower blocks), even if that reputation may be an undeserved one. Nijmegen's "Ik bouw betaalbaar Nijmegen" ("I build affordable in Nijmegen"), or IbbN, scheme offers first-time homebuyers the chance of nabbing a stylish design far better than anything by Barratt Homes.

Anyone with an annual income of between €30,000 and €47,000 (approximately $40,000 to $60,000) is eligible to apply for the IbbN loan, and can choose from the 29 designs included in the IbbN catalogue. So far 30 plots have been set aside in the Vossenpels district for homes. The gallery features some of the designs included in the catalogue. The buildings are typically suitable for small families, with two or three bedrooms, and come in detached, semi-detached or terraced form.

Each building has a flat-pack design to keep costs within the restricted budget, and they will also be rapidly assembled on site once ready. Beyond giving low-income families and individuals better-quality housing, it also gives local architects work.

Almere has developed a reputation as a world-leader in the practice, keeping homes (both in houses and flats) affordable and giving the city a completely disjointed and unique look with few buildings looking the same. Opinion is divided over whether this is a good thing.

The idea of promoting self-build this way isn't too far from the Argentinian concept of "Fideicomiso," where architects often work on buildings in tandem with the people who will eventually live or work in them. As large groups pool their money together, it helps with raising finance too.

The Royal Institute of British Architects is hosting a talk on it on April 23, to see whether the program offers a potential solution to some of Britain's housing shortage problems.